COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS LAUNCH DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES, COMPLIMENTARY FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS

(Sarasota – June 27, 2006)  The Community Foundations of Sarasota and Manatee Counties and the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund joined together to offer a continuing education series with a total of 12 credit hours available on an annual basis for attorneys, trust officers, certified insurance underwriters, CFPs and CPAs.

More than 120 professional advisors turned out to hear the first speaker: Stephan R. Leimberg, JD, who addressed the topic of “Ethics and Bleeding Edge Issues Involving Life Insurance: Planners Behaving Badly,” in the morning session and in the afternoon, “Tough Issues in Buy-Sell.” Both sessions were held at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Leila & Michael Gompertz Center located on Fruitville Road in Sarasota.

Leimberg is CEO of Leimberg and LeClair, Inc. (Estate, Financial and Retirement Planning software); president of Leimberg Associates, Inc. (books, brochures, client-oriented PowerPoint seminars and newsletters); CEO of LISI, Leimberg Services, Inc. (e-mail newsletters and searchable data base); and vice president, Leimberg and Leshner, Inc. (high-end creative web marketing solutions). He is a former adjunct professor in the masters of taxation programs of both Temple and Villanova University Schools of Law and a member of ESTATE PLANNING Magazine’s editorial board. Leimberg is also a nationally known speaker and author of numerous highly regarded books and teaching tools.

The Distinguished Speakers Series continues throughout the year, with the following presenters in the lineup:

August 15, 2006: David English on “Uniform Trust Code, Florida Style”—2 credits

November 14, 2006: Louis A. Mezzullo on “Planning for Distributions from Qualified Plans and IRAs, Incentive Trusts, Charitable Planning”—3 credits

May 10, 2007: Howard Zaritsky on “Hot Topics in Current Estate Planning”—3 credits

For more information on this continuing education series and to make a reservation for any of the seminars, call 941-556-2396 or email Jocelyn@sarasota-foundation.org.

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is a public charity founded by the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council in 1979 to meet the needs of their clients seeking to leave a charitable legacy of lasting impact. With current assets of more than $140 million in over 520 different funds, the Community Foundation manages and invests these funds and awards grants and scholarships totaling in excess of $5 million annually.

Individuals and organizations are encouraged to create permanent funds to support the causes they care about most in the areas of education, the arts, animal welfare, the environment and health and human services. The Community Foundation’s motto is: For good. For ever.® Stewart W. Stearns is President & CEO of the Community Foundation. Sophia LaRusso is board chair.